Children from a Romanian school won the EU Mini-Chef drawing contest. Their artwork was produced as a poster advertising the campaign of the European Day for Healthy Food and Cooking, which was celebrated on 8 November 2007. In preparation for the European Day for Healthy Food and Cooking, the drawing contest was launched and directed toward children ages 9-12 that participated through their school classes. The contest started on 15 May and ended on 30 June.
The winner of the contest was chosen by a group of judges consisting of Commission officials, chefs, and a communications expert. The class visited Brussels and received a prize from European Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou. The ceremony was held on 18 October. The class and its teacher are invited to stay in the Atomium and visit the Brussels institutions.
EU Mini-Chefs is an interactive website for children that aims to contribute to the fight against child obesity by encouraging healthy eating and cooking. The forum provides healthy recipes and cooking advice and is available in 12 languages. This project is a joint initiative of the European Commission and Euro-Toques, an organization of chefs throughout Europe.
On 8 November 2007, Euro-Toques chefs either visited a school to hold tasting workshops or invited a class to their restaurant for lunch and a discussion on healthy cooking. The goal was to show that healthy cooking is fun and easy to do. Commissioner Kyprianou participated in the event at a European school in Brussels, and EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer-Boel accompanied a Danish chef to visit a school in Copenhagen. The participation and interest of these officials underlines the need for action in the fight against obesity. With the number of overweight and obese children increasing at such a rapid rate, these activities are necessary to reinforce the fundamentals of good nutrition and healthy lifestyles.
For further information:
EU Mini-Chefs
European Day of Healthy Food and Cooking
Euro-Toques
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